In many jurisdictions building codes require that at least a four-foot high non-climbable fence be provided around a pool. In many instances, residence owners will choose, instead of having a non-climbable fence directly adjacent the pool, to build a four-foot high non-climbable solid fence around the perimeter of the residential property, thereby complying with the applicable code. The problem with this approach is that, when children and especially young children are allowed out into what is typically the backyard of the residence to play, because the code-required non-climbable fence is around the perimeter of the property, there is no safety barrier provided between where the children are playing and the pool. Consequently, there exists a danger that children will fall into the pool, while playing notwithstanding that the pool is code compliant.
Consequently there exists a need to provide a barrier which may be quickly erected around the immediate circumference of a pool to inhibit children, pets or the like from gaining access to the pool, where the barriers may be easily and quickly retracted out of sight so that when the pool is in use the barriers do not provide an inconvenience to the users nor do they obstruct or mar the look of the landscaping within the perimeter of the property.
It is known in the prior art, for example that exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 5,161,784 which issued to Sader on Nov. 10, 1992 for a Knock-Down Barrier for Preventing Admittance into an Area, to provide a knock-down barrier which prevents admittance into an area or pool where each of a plurality of barrier members may include a hollow tubular upright having support posts which are supported in holes located within the ground.
It is also known, as exemplified in U.S. Pat. No. 5,152,508 which issued to Fish on Oct. 6, 1992, for a Removable Safety Barrier Which May be Erected Around the Perimeter of a Swimming Pool, to provide a barrier includes upright elements which are positionable end-to-end around the pool. An electrical connection is made between adjacent barrier elements to provide an alarm, where the electrical connection is supported on restraining mesh extending between support members.
In the prior art, applicant is also aware of U.S. Pat. No. 5,553,833 which issued to Bohen on Sep. 10, 1996 for a Safety Barrier Mount, wherein Bohen describes that he has improved prior art barriers made of a number of flexible panels which are attached to poles. Each pole is inserted into a sleeve receptacle. Each pole has a key at its lower end and each sleeve has a keyway to receive the corresponding pole's key.
United States Patent Application, Publication No. 2003/0164485, filed by Olson et al and published on Sep. 4, 2003, for a Retractable Fence Assembly describes an upright container that houses a coil of fencing material, for example in the form of a web of synthetic material, where the web is wound up on a core within the container so as to be rotatable upon a normally stationary spindle. A helical return spring interconnects the core and the spindles so that fencing is pulled out of the container through a dispensing slot in the side wall of the container against a return biasing force of the spring. The container is not retractable into the ground, but rather, Olson et al teach to mount a single such container to a work truck and to form the entire barrier from the web pulled from the single container.
In the prior art which relates to barriers that are retractable to into and out of the ground, applicant is aware of U.S. Pat. No. 5,630,572 which issued to Guay on May 20, 1997, for a Retractable Fence System for Swimming Pool or the Like, wherein Guay discloses a fence system which includes a trench and a collapsible screen which is mounted in the trench. A lifting device which engages the top of the screen raises and lowers the screen between an extended position out of the trench and a retracted position inside the trench. A closure closes the trench when the screen is in its retracted position.
Applicant is also aware of U.S. Pat. No. 5,168,584 which issued to Peebles on Dec. 8, 1992 for a Retractable Perimeter Barrier, wherein Peebles discloses a retractable perimeter barrier for a swimming pool where the barrier includes a plurality of panels each vertically movably positioned in a edge-to-edge orientation within a trough. Each panel includes a lower buoyant section which supports an upper portion of the panel which extends above ground when the trough is filled with water. The panels retract into the trough when the water is drained from the trough.